IWF to MSNBC: Fire Ed Schultz!

"There is a right to free speech in this country, but a company like MSNBC should also have standards about whom they put on air," said IWF Chairman Heather Higgins. "A simple apology and slap on the wrist like a suspension is inadequate. Slandering a female talk show host with the demeaning misogyny of branding her a 'slut' would have led to dismissal at any other news network."

"There's a clear double standard when it comes to political correctness in this country," said IWF Senior Fellow Charlotte Hays, "A conservative who had said this about a liberal woman would have been out immediately. Juan Williams lost his job from NPR simply for expressing a politically incorrect feeling. Don Imus made a racist remark and paid with his job. How is this different? The only reason it is different is that apparently in the minds of MSNBC, there's a double standard when it comes to conservatives. Then all the concern about tolerance goes out the window."

The Independent Women's Forum believes that the statements made by Ed Schultz, several times calling Laura Ingraham a "right-wing slut," warrant his termination from MSNBC, and we request that you do so immediately. We are dismayed that you have merely suspended him for one week without pay for his indecent attack on Ms. Ingraham on May 24. Civility requires that you take immediate and decisive action to condemn this unwarranted slur. A simply apology and slap on the wrist is inadequate.

Mr. Schultz's right to crude and vile speech does not mean MSNBC has to provide a platform. Indeed, MSNBC has an obligation to the public to uphold standards of civility, respect, and tolerance even in the most vigorous debates; by not terminating Mr. Schultz you are effectively condoning utterly inappropriate misogyny and slander.

There is a clear double standard when it comes to political correctness in this country, and a conservative who had said this about a liberal woman would have been out immediately. To the casual observer, it would appear that at MSNBC one set of rules applies for liberals and another for conservatives. We sincerely hope this is not the case.

We hold conservative personalities to high standards, and expect that you will do the same with your liberal personalities as well. We request that NBCUniversal take decisive action to send a message to all pundits that misogynistic calumny is unacceptable, and will not be tolerated.